The Children of Men
by benex
Summary: Post MSIV. It's not an ending but a new beginning. Mulder and Scully deal with some unexpected dimensions of their new lives and what the future holds for them and their children


**THE CHILDREN OF MEN by Benex**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own The X-files or Mulder and Scully**

 **This story came to my mind after the screen went black in "My Struggle IV". I read numerous fanfics lately and all are amazing! I hope you like mine too. It's a long one. Take a seat and enjoy the reading. Since between My Struggle II and III there is no time jump for me Scully is 52 yars old and Mulder is 55.**

 **(Sorry if there are mistakes but I'm not a native English speaker)**

 **Perfect - Ed Sheeran**

 _I found a love for me_

 _Darling just dive right in_

 _And follow my lead_

 _Well I found a girl beautiful and sweet_

 _I never knew you were the someone waiting for me_

 _'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love_

 _Not knowing what it was_

 _I will not give you up this time_

 _But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own_

 _And in your eyes you're holding mine_

 _Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms_

 _Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song_

 _When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath_

 _But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight_

 _Well I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know_

 _She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her home_

 _I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets_

 _To carry love, to carry children of our own_

 _We are still kids, but we're so in love_

 _Fighting against all odds_

 _I know we'll be alright this time_

 _Darling, just hold my hand_

 _Be my girl, I'll be your man_

 _I see my future in your eyes_

 _Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms_

 _Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song_

 _When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful_

 _I don't deserve this, darling, you look perfect tonight_

 _Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms_

 _Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song_

 _I have faith in what I see_

 _Now I know I have met an angel in person_

 _And she looks perfect_

 _I don't deserve this_

 _You look perfect tonight_

NORFOLK

Sugar Factory - Harbor

"For so long... I believed...What am I now if I'm not a father?" Mulder said as more tears threaten to spill from his glassy eyes. He was lost. He was not a son nor a brother anymore. He wasn't a husband neither and now he was no more a father. Scully shook her head slightly as she looked into his hazel eyes. Scully hold back a sob as she finally let herself speak.

"You are a father."

"What are you talking about?" Mulder looked down at her trying to stay strong. Scully gently grabbed onto Mulder's large hand and directed it to her stomach. He looked up suddenly when he felt a small bump through the thin fabric of her sweater. It was a very small bump, but it was there. He couldn't believe it.

"It's impossible!'' He managed to say.

"It's more than impossible" Scully replied, resting her hand atop Mulder's on her abdomen. She buried her face in his shirt, pressing her forehead as hard as she could against his chest. He was hugging her tightly. They stood together on the dock for an indefinite time, her soft sobs muffled against his chest, the only sound breaking the silence. Shock, happiness, anguish and grief hit them both all at once, losing one miracle child only to find out he was about to become a father to a second one.

"Scully… Dana?! we should go" he watched her as she looked up. Her face was red from the tears and from the cold.

She nodded but then she remembered. "Skinner!'' She yelled.

"Skinner's with you?" was Mulder immediate reply.

Scully didn't respond but grabbed onto his hand and they began running back through the Sugar Factory. She saw his car in the alley and one right behind it. Scully knelt and saw Skinner's body motionless below. If Skinner was alive, it was because the front end of the black car and the bumper of the other one had created a bridge between one another limiting the damages. As she tried to feel for Skinner's pulse, she heard Mulder called the 911.

Suddenly, Skinner started to move. "Scully," said with a faint voice.

"Sir, don't move, help is on the way." Scully told him with a sigh of relief. She couldn't tell the extent of his injuries, but she thought he would survive. Once Mulder got off the phone, he walked around the SUV. He opened the door to the driver's side of the car and behind the wheel was Monica Reyes. He saw the bullet holes in the windshield; one had grazed the side of her forehead and there was a gash of blood on the side of her head. Mulder felt for a pulse and she moaned, clearly in pain. ''Monica, resist!" he whispered.

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Mulder and Scully were sat just inside one of the many ambulances with a heavy grey blanket wrapped around their shoulders when Kersh arrived at the scene. Getting out of his car, the FBI director stood in the middle of what he could only describe as a war zone; red emergency lights dancing off the sugar factory and the harbor, cops looking for evidences, coroners taking away dead bodies and EMTs working on Reyes and Skinner. Once the divers were sent towards the dock, Mulder darted in their direction, throwing the blanket off his shoulders and leaving Scully behind.

"What the hell is going on around here?" Kersh hissed reaching him. "I have two wounded agents and a trail of bodies stretching back for two miles. I can't just let it go this time, Agent Mulder."

"Sir.. can we talk later?" Mulder pleaded him.

"I'll give you four days...and then I want you and Agent Scully in my office on Tuesday, 8am to discuss the future of the X Files." Kersh responded him.

The ambulances were ready to leave and Scully approached them. "I go with them" she said firmly. Mulder reached her partner "Scully?" Mulder's voice rasped against her ear as he tugged her closer, Scully looked at him: "It's ok, we'll see at the hospital!"

He knew he couldn't stop her, so he let her leave. A police officer moved closer to Mulder: "I'm sorry Agent Mulder"

"Did you find anything?" Mulder asked, his voice rough with tears.

Policeman: "yes … the body of an old man"

"and my son?" Mulder asked in front of a confused Kersh

"I'm so very sorry," the officer told him softly. "We're calling off the search for him tonight.

Visibility is very poor, but we'll begin again at first light."

"I…understand" Mulder said approaching the pier where the divers were pulling off a body from the water.

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Scully was waiting for some news about her friends. The wait was draining her and let her mind traveling. The last time Scully was in that hospital, William's body was in the morgue, now he was floating in the cold dark water of the Norfolk's harbor. She couldn't stand the thought and she had to throw up. She went to the bathroom and emptied her stomach. While washing her face she had a new vision _. She saw Mulder at the pier in front of a corpse's bag, she saw William swimming and getting out of the water into the shore, she saw herself touching her swollen belly, she saw the fire of an incinerator, William driving, Mulder building an ikea crib, a newborn covered with blood crying and in the end, she saw William standing outside their house. When Mulder arrived at the hospital, he found Scully outside Skinner's room._

Mulder: "How is Skinner?"

"Fighting" She pushed out on a shaky breath, "It'll be a long road."

He nodded and took a step toward her "Monica?"

"Still in surgery", he looked at Scully and demanded her: "Are you ok?" he was worried, her expression was distant and closed, the dark circles under her eyes betraying her exhaustion.

"I'm just tired… it was a long long night…" she responded

"We need some rest Scully" pressed Mulder

"I just want to stay here" she replied

"We can't do nothing here for them now. I'll call Kersh to let us inform if something changes. Ok?" She didn't respond "Scully… please...think of the ba..." he couldn't' say the word baby because it was too big, too improbable "it's not good for either of you being out here."

It was true they needed sleep and warm. Her doctor had told her to take it easy. It was why she had hesitantly sent Mulder alone in the first place, so she didn't protest. They headed outside to where the car was parked. The walk was silent. He pulled the key from the back pocket of his jeans and unlocked the car. Before he could take another step, she let herself in the driver's side door.

"Mulder, please, I need to drive" she rasped, reaching a hand out to take the keys from him. He didn't protest, he knew her too well to understand her need. She needed to relax and driving was a way to distract her mind. He got in the passenger seat, buckled up and she speeded towards the nearest motel because the drive to their house was too long.

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Mulder checked in and unlocked the door to their hotel room. He pushed it open, ushering Scully inside, he moved in behind her, locking the door behind him. It was an old hotel, and the rooms were basic. A bed. A dresser and a TV. In a couple of minutes Mulder was in bed, wearing only his boxers. He was propped up against the headboard, his face unreadable. He'd been on the phone with Kersh when Scully exited the bathroom wearing an old robe found in the closet.

They were silent for a while then Mulder spoke "We pulled out Smoking Man's body,"

She didn't reply. He would assume she was going to ask if they found William's body, but she didn't say anything so he went on. "They haven't found him Scully. Kersh promised to call as soon as they do."

It was a long time before she spoke again, and when she did, her voice was almost inaudible.

"At the hospital… I had ...a vision, Mulder" she murmured while standing in the bathroom doorway "I saw William…."

Mulder's pulse throbbed, a glimmer of hope expanding in his chest. "You...? You're sure?"

She nodded, avoiding his eyes.

"How...?" he leaned forward.

"I don't know," she sighed. "He was climbing out of the water"

"If it's true, there's still a chance I could find him," Mulder said, thinking aloud. "We could..."

"Mulder, stop". She pushed out through a shaky breath, pulling him down next to her. "you can't..."

Mulder tried to reply: "But Scully…"

Scully: "He asked us to let him go, Mulder. That's what we are going to do. We can't keep doing this. We can't risk our lives and sanity anymore. If he wants to find us, he will. We have to move forward. He can't be another quest. You have to let him go. "Mulder swallowed: "But...he's alive."

She nodded "He's weak, but he's safe. For now."

The room was silent again.

Scully told him: "He will find his way home one day, I know"

"I'm sure he will" Mulder replied as she disappeared in the shower.

After a couple of minutes, he stepped into the shower behind Scully. She leaned against his chest and he started kissing her, his hands exploring her. Then he placed his hands on her stomach, on that miraculous small bump. He could not understand how he didn't notice before, but it was there and now he could feel the small bump against him very clearly.

Mulder: "Scully, how far along are you?"

"Ten weeks." Scully rested a hand on the back of his hand lacing their fingers together.

Mulder: "Ahh, the Henrico County… and that suit…"

Scully turned in his arms, so they were face to face: "Saint Rachel Motel, you remember it"

"Of course, I do, it was the best sex I had in the last 4 years!" Mulder joked and she giggled, lightly smacking at his chest.

"Mulder... in the last two days.. I couldn't find a moment … that wasn't how I wanted to tell you. I just needed time to process the news" She confessed leaning into him.

He stroked her hair and whispered to her: "Sss...It's ok…Last week at the church did you suspect it? Didn't you?"

Scully nodded against his chest: "I was trying to find strength."

Mulder: "And yesterday you didn't come with me because you didn't want to risk its tiny life"

Scully nodded again: "I was so scared Mulder, I can't lose another child".

Mulder caressed her hair: "I know... but everything's gonna be fine, I'll promise you. It's … just.. How is this even possible?" The somber tone of his voice was in conflict with the joy the idea of impending fatherhood brought him.

Scully raised up her face to look Mulder in the eyes. "I don't know Mulder, I don't know." An errand tear slipped down her cheek so fast. "It seems so impossible, but it's true, it's real. I'm pregnant." She finally admitted.

Mulder: ''Did you see a doctor?''

Scully: ''Just to be sure, I couldn't believe it when I found out''

Mulder: ''But is good news, right? We want it, do you want it?''

"It's… it's not what I would've chosen for us," Scully admitted muffedly. "Not now. Maybe years ago… We're both in our fifties!"

Mulder: "You didn't answer my question... do you want it?''

Scully's voice cracked as she struggled to control her emotions: "Yeah, of course. And you?"

Mulder leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers, pushing her wet hair back. "It scares me to death, Scully, but I do want this." he said softly but without uncertainties.

Scully folded her arms around his neck: "How are we gonna do?"

Mulder reassured her whispering into her ears "We'll think of something. Don't worry!"

The water didn't wash only their body, in that case it washed away their sorrow, their pain, their fatigue, their fears. Tears and water mixed in the same liquid. Then they curled on the bed still unable to sleep.

Mulder: "Scully, did you really mean those things you said? Do you really believe now that William was nothing more than an experiment that shouldn't have existed?"

"No," she responded "I was shocked and furious and… He stole our son away from us. Mulder"

"He's a liar," Mulder reminded her. "He's never told us the truth. I don't intend to stop now just because of that lying son of a bitch, I read the DNA results when we tested William's DNA. He was your son, Dana.''.

"I know," she said, closing her eyes, her eyebrows knit together like she was in pain. "I know he is. And I love him as much as I ever did."

His voice was strong and steady "He's ours," Mulder told her, squeezing her fingers as he spoke.

"You still have his hair, you can test him against mine if you want to be sure. I'm his father, I know, I can feel it and I don't care about the details of how he came to be...he is our son… I have loved him everyday since you asked for my help with the IVF. He. Is. My. Son. As much as this one. Ok?" his hand caressing her belly, sensing that second heart beating inside her.

She turned facing him, she looked in his eyes and kissed him lightly on the lips: "I love you. And I know you are his father: I ran every possible test when he was a baby."

He nuzzled the hair at her temple and kissed it.

Mulder: "I'm gonna spoil this baby so much"

Scully laughed: "This is not a good start"

The truth was, they already loved this child so much, that they were just starting making plans for the future.

Mulder murmured against her lips: "What do you want me to do?"

"Just...hold me for now." Scully said.

"Last time you asked me that, we made this baby" Mulder said stroking softly her belly "It's all your fault you know that" Mulder chuckled.

"You didn't stop me" she whispered with an allusive tone against his lips putting her hand over his on her still flat stomach.

"I couldn't, I wanted to make you happy" he kissed her, nudging her cheek with his nose, eliciting a tired smile before they both fell asleep. In each other arms they found strength and that night in that motel bed they held each other and their little miracle as much as they could sending away the nightmare and darkness of their lives and remembering a night like this when a couple of months before they made this baby alone in the grip of passion, finding their selves in love again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning when Mulder woke up Scully wasn't in the room. He was dialing her number when she entered the room with a couple of bags in her hands.

"Where have you been?" asked her a worried Mulder.

"Shopping! You needed a change Mulder, you can't walk in boxer" She threw him a bag "I hope you like my taste" she smirked. Mulder was a little embarrassed but had to agree: he had promised himself to wash his clothes later in the night instead he forgot and felt asleep.

"And I grab some food" Scully opened the other bag and bit a big dark donut "…with a cup of coffee".

Mulder looked at her with disapproval.

Scully laughed against the hot cup: "Don't worry green tea for me. Oh Mulder what are you going to do when I'll be in labor? ".

Mulder didn't understand the joke but sighed in relief: "Do you have something for me too?"

Scully: "Of course, you can choose what you like: there are bagels, pretzels" she handed him the food.

Mulder: "Wow, you were really hungry"

"You know I have to eat for two now, I'm just figuring what it likes" Scully said with a grin on her face.

He was surprise how amazing she was, even in these difficult moments when the world was falling apart testing them again and again she didn't give up. They had breakfast then they started their morning routine getting ready to go to the hospital to see how Skinner and Reyes were doing, but after a while Scully started to feel nauseated and quickly ran to the bathroom. She braced herself on the toilet. Mulder walked behind her and gently rubbed her back, soothing her until she was done. She wanted to collapse onto the floor, her body weak and tired from the efforts, but instead she fell against Mulder who helped clean her up and guided her back to the bedroom.

Mulder: "I think our baby doesn't like chocolate".

"This baby doesn't seem to like anything I eat." Scully told him, keeping her voice soft as she spoke. Mulder's eyes flared with understanding before he lowered his gaze down to her stomach.

"I'm sorry". She squeezed his hand: "a few more weeks and it'll just be a bad memory", he sighed hoping this would pass as soon as possible.

Later that morning Mulder and Scully drove to the hospital. In the parking Scully grabbed Mulder's arm "Mulder, I don't want to tell anyone about the baby and about William… we don't know if there are still menaces out there!"

Mulder: "You are right, we have to be careful! It will be our secret… at least for now."

"Thank you" she said.

Mulder tucked her hair behind her ears giving her a soft caress on her cheek: "It'll be all right"

She nodded and hand in hand they entered.

Scully spoke with the doctors. A lumbar spinal fracture and two broken legs meant Skinner had a long recovery ahead. He would have to stay in the hospital until his doctor decided to transfer him back to Washington, D.C. Memorial hospital to recover there or in a rehab center. On the other hand, Reyes had wake up from the surgery and asked to speak with Scully vehemently. So, while Scully joined her, a nurse let Mulder in to see Skinner. He laid propped up on the bed in a white room. Skinner glanced at Mulder with tears in his eyes and not knowing what to say.

"How are you feeling?" Mulder broke the ice.

"I'm fine Mulder…I'm….so…." the words were failing Skinner.

"Thank you for helping us again" Mulder interrupted him

Skinner: "No.. no Mulder, I should have done something more, Kersh told me everything, I'm sorry for your loss"

Mulder: "Sir.. there is nothing more to say.."

Skinner: "How's Scully?"

Mulder: "Struggling but better than I thought"

Skinner: "Is there any hope?"

Mulder: "Until they won't find his body we can hope"

Skinner: "Mulder… I…"

Mulder: "I know what you told Scully but it is not the truth. I'm William's father. I'm sure! That man was a liar and now he is dead."

Skinner nodded and looked down.

Mulder's phone rang. "Sorry Sir, I need to answer"

"I know it could sound strange but I'll pray for you" Skinner told him.

"Thank you, Walter, we really appreciate it" Mulder said touching lightly one of Skinner's shoulders before exiting to pick up the call.

Another white room but this time on the bed was lying a woman with a bandage on her head covering her left eye. She was looking thoughtful at the window.

"Monica?" Scully erupted

Monica: "Dana" she turned towards her old friend "come please"

Scully took a chair and sat near her bed: "Hey! How are you?" Monica grabbed her hand: "Lucky to be alive"

Scully smiled back at her. "What about Skinner, no one is telling me anything"

Scully: "Mulder is with him. He is going to make it"

Monica: "Spender and William?"

Scully shook her head, "They are gone" she said firmly

"it's not possible" Monica replied

Scully: "Monica, they are. They were both shoot to death, I know, I've seen it."

Monica: "Dana.. that fucking old bastard could be dead but not William. I know it's hard to believe but William can't die. It's the reason why he wanted him"

Scully: "Monica, please. It's just difficult this way"

Monica: "I have the evidences, and you need to know everything about your son"

Scully: "Skinner told me a lot"

Monica: "No, you don't get it. William he's not what you think, or what you have been told, believe me. I won't lie to you. Take this, please! There are the accesses to a secure cloud where you will find all the files of the project Crossroad and of… William"

Scully took the piece of paper that Monica handed her. "Dana, I want you to know that all I have done was to protect your son"

"Good luck Monica". Scully's hand rested on the door. She looked back at Monica. They exchanged a deep stare of friendship and gratitude. They both knew this was the last time they would meet each other.

Only 30 minutes before the coroner had called Mulder to confirm the identity of the old man, the divers had drag from the harbor. Mulder had acknowledged the man as the evil on earth Karl Spender but using his FBI status he had forced the doctor to cremate the man immediately and to let him see while that hated body was burning. He was now waiting in the morgue cursing his fucking father for all the bad he had done to him and Scully when an employee arrived: "Mr Mulder, if you are ready we can proceed"

Mulder: "yes of course! I want it to be over!"

Man: "Please follow me"

The man took stretcher with the dead man covered with a white linen and headed to the basement of the hospital where an incinerator was located. He put the man inside it and then turned on the fire. Mulder silently and almost happily watched as the flames enveloped the body. He didn't know how much time had passed when Scully found him sat on the floor.

"Hey" she said, ruffling his hair

He looked at her "I just needed to be sure. this time he won't came back, he won't hurt us anymore!"

"I know" Scully said helping him stand up "Let's go home"

He nodded. The employee entered while they were leaving: "these are his ashes" and handed Mulder a metal urn. Mulder and Scully exchanged a look, then Mulder took the object. He owned anything to the man. He just wanted to forget him, so on his way out he threw it on the garbage.

Leaving Norfolk wasn't that easy. They had to visit another place before heading back home. In the last months thanks to their FBI badges they had contact the social services to get the legal custody of the boy and had open a deposit for Jackson. They had put the house on sale as the real estate agency's sign stated on the garden. They just wanted to give him a future in case he will show up again. Nothing could tell that two people had been murdered on that house: no more yellow lines to not cross or police sealing. Mulder forced the door lock. It was a privacy violation but, no one could protest or judge them anymore. They looked around and went upstairs to His room. They collected items of Jackson's childhood, photos, snow globes, some books and his laptop. Memories of a past life that maybe one day Jackson would have wanted back. On their way out, they took a frame from the living room. Inside was a selfie of smiling boy between his clumsy parents. They were grateful to these two people who had raised their boy despite all his weirdness.

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It was late night when Mulder stopped the car in their yard. Next to him, Scully slept deeply, his jacket tucked into the crook of her neck. He reached across the console to touch her cheek.

"We're home."

She stirred, blinking

"You OK?" he asked

"I need to eat," she murmured, getting out of the car. "The nausea is worse if I don't."

Mulder: "Just go change, I'm gonna prepare something"

Mulder watched her disappear from view and waited until he couldn't hear her footsteps any longer to move into the kitchen, opening the fridge. He was there laying the table for dinner when she came back wearing a gray hoodie and some pants.

"I just got lettuce, tomatoes and bread but if you want, I can put some water to boil and cook you a pasta."

Scully: "No, a salad it' s fine"

He smiled at her "take your seat Madame, and I'll serve your dinner" he joked.

They ate, they talked a little about Skinner but, she looked distant

"Are you gonna tell me what's bothering you?" he murmured

She took from her pocket the paper Monica had given her this morning and handed it to Mulder: "it's from Monica"

Mulder looked up at her posing his fork on the table: "what is it?"

Scully: "the truth about William, or so she told me"

Mulder stared at the paper, his hand shaking: "have you opened it?"

She shook her head and he nodded. Mulder grabbed her hand and squeezed it: "Let's see what's written".

They stood in front of the pc monitor unable to speak or process the information they got from that cloud. Monica was right, William was much more than what Skinner had told Scully. He was an experiment, an idea, an x-files, he was the first super human with regenerative cells, most probably immortal. He had both alien and human Dna in his body and He Was Their Son. It was clear and it was stated in that files. Spender had wanted and created him through the science and the knowledge he possessed but, Dr Massau Matzumoto had used Scully's ova and Mulder's sperm. The events of 18 years ago now made sense. The IVF they performed hadn't worked because they had lied to them, there was no baby then to hope for, in fact Dr Parenti had given their samples to the Project Crossroad. They had worked these samples and when they had made the perfect embryo, Spender found his way to implant it on Scully. What Spender, Matzumoto and Parenti didn't know at the time was that Mulder and Scully just had some alien elements in their systems due to the virus Mulder was exposed in Russia and the experiments performed on Scully during her abduction. These elements mixed with the alien Dna the project possessed had created in that lab somebody who was more incredible that the baby Mulder and Scully were now expecting. William was theirs, there were no more doubts, but, in some ways, he wasn't. Mulder turned off the Pc and looked at Scully. They sighed in relief and hugged each other speechless, they were finally, free. The ultimate truth was revealed. They just had to wait for William to come home and tell him this last piece of the puzzle about his identity.

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They passed the weekend lazily in bed whispering soft words on and about the small bump, making projects for the future and taking decisions. The first thing they did in fact on Tuesday was facing Kersh. The FBI director didn't have to say a word, Mulder and Scully resigned and left their badges on his desk. Second, they emptied their office taking away all the important x-files. Third, Scully called her obgyn to fix an appointment to take a look at their baby and be sure that everything was fine.

Once inside the doctor's office, Scully made herself comfortable on the reclining medical chair. Laying back, she smiled at Mulder, who sat beside her. Dr. Lewis had been her obgyn for the last 3 years. She trusted her. Last week when Scully had found out of being pregnant, Dr. Lewis had reassured her.

Dr. Lewis: "Dana, welcome back"

Scully: "Thank you Dr. Lewis for seeing us with such a short notice."

"You are welcome.." Dr. Lewis, extended her right arm to Mulder, who stood up to shake her hand. "So, you must be her famous partner and.."

Mulder: "The one who responsible for this" he joked nervously, nodding in the direction of Scully's belly. "Fox Mulder, by the way"

Dr. Lewis: "Well, Mulder, if you want to take a seat and Dana if you want to roll your top up we can have a good look at this baby of yours".

As she spoke, Dr. Lewis squeezed the icy cold conducting gel onto Scully's belly: "How do you feel Dana? Are you taking the vitamins?"

Scully: "yes and except for the morning sickness I feel good"

Dr. Lewis: "That's great! As I told you last time, a pregnancy at your age is not so uncommon but due to your medical records you have to take some precaution and I would like to some more tests than the usual."

Scully: "Do you recommend an amniocentesis?"

Dr. Lewis: "No, I prefer a fetal DNA test. It's better and safer but a little expensive."

"That's not a problem" said Mulder who had listen to the women in front of him in silence until then. "Everything for her and the little one". Scully grabbed his hand and Mulder looked at her smiling. She could feel him shaking a little.

Scully: "You're shaking."

Mulder: "No I'm not. That's crazy." He lied to her hiding his fears.

"So, let's take a look and see, shall we?" Dr. Lewis lifted up the doppler and began to push the conducting gel all over Scully's abdomen.

Dr. Lewis: "Well, here's the baby, do you see it?" There it was on the video. One white little peanut form shifting around in the black space that was her womb. Once she saw it, she inhaled sharply.

Her eyes welling up as she watched on in awe: "Mulder…that's our baby" pointing to the screen. Mulder couldn't find words, he was amazed and he was crying tears of joy. Scully caressed his cheek and he gave her a featherly kiss on her lips mumbling an - I love you -

Finally, Dr. Lewis hit the baby's heart and they all heard it. A sound so amazing, fast and loud.

Mulder: "That's the heartbeat?"

Scully: "Mhm"

Dr. Lewis: "It's a perfect heartbeat"

Mulder lifted Scully's hand up and kissed the back of it: "I told you there was nothing to worry about Scully." She gave him a slightly relieved chuckle.

Dr. Lewis: "You're only 11 weeks so it's still hard to tell the gender"

Mulder: "do we wanna know?" asked Mulder curiously to Scully.

Scully: "Mulder, I'm a doctor. I'll see it on the sonogram regardless of whether I want to or not."

"It's just… we haven't really talked about…" Mulder replied. She sometimes forgot this was all new to him. 18 years ago, he wasn't there to experience all these moments.

Dr. Lewis: "Don't worry Mr. Mulder, we won't find out it today"

When they finished, Scully sat up and cleaned off her stomach of the gel and Mulder stared proudly at the printing sonogram memorizing every detail.

Dr. Lewis: "The more worried you are, the more problems you're gonna run into. Try to stay stress free of everything, Dana. I know it's hard. But there is nothing you have to worry about, you are healthy, your baby is healthy and you both are in good hands!"

Scully: "I'll do my best. Thank you"

Dr. Lewis: "See you next week"

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Nearly a month after the whole ordeal was over, there was a knock at the door. When Scully opened the door, her heart froze in her chest. Her son was standing there. She was finally seeing him for the first time in 16 years, just as himself. Not as an old guy, not as Mulder, not as a nurse, just as a normal 16-year-old but with a bullet scar on his forehead. And he looked so much like a younger version of Mulder.

"Hi, Dana." said Jackson.

Scully couldn't breathe. She stepped forward and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly enjoying the sensation she hadn't felt since he was an infant. Jackson laughed a little awkwardly in her embrace.

"You and Mulder … you sure like to hug," he said.

Scully: "I'm sorry. I've waited so long for this"

William laughed: "Don't worry.. It's ok"

"Scully who is it?" Feet were pounding the floor behind them. A choked sound that might be their son's name, and then Mulder was wrapping his arms around them both tenderly. Sensing how uncomfortable he was in the circle of their arms, Scully was the first to let go. Mulder stepped back with her, his hand on her shoulder the way it was when they watched the tape in that gas station. Scully cleared her throat, wiping her eyes.

"Jackson!" Scully exhaled.

She seemed so little and fragile.

"You don't have to call me Jackson." he responded shaking his head.

He remembered hearing the name his parents gave him when he was born. "I'm not...I'm not Jackson. Not anymore. William. You guys...you named me William, didn't you?"

"We did," Mulder replied, placing a hand on Scully's shoulder as they watched their son process the response. "How did you know where we live?"

William said: "I saw this place sometimes, when I'd dream. I know it doesn't make sense."

"No, it makes sense a lot!" Mulder reassured him

William: "Well, I just wanted to make sure you guys weren't worried about me. It seems that nobody is after me anymore, so I can relax a little. You can stay safe too. I wasn't followed. I made sure of it." William informed them. He looked up to Scully before to continue speaking. "I know what I said, about needing to do this on my own. About you not being able to keep me safe. I didn't say it to hurt you. I said it because of what I can do. Mulder saw my powers. I'm afraid that if I screw up, or if they catch me, they could hurt you… They could hurt your baby. You don't deserve that." Said pointing to her stomach and catching her by surprise.

Scully asked carefully: "But you're… you're okay?"

"I'm okay," William said, tousling his hands through his hair. ""I'm fine."

Mulder told cautiously: "I saw you… get shot"

William shrugged again. "I healed. I don't know what to say."

Scully cleared her throat again, wiping her hands on her jeans. "Do you… do you want to come in?"

"That'd be great" he responded.

William waited for them to enter before following suit. They walked deeper into the house without say nothing for fear of shattering the moment. They passed the living room where a sort of office was standing between books, files and a sofa and then entered the kitchen.

"So, this is where you guys live?" he asked curiously.

"Yes," Mulder answered, "I know it's not much, but it's home and we do have some extra rooms."

Scully added "Listen, it will take time to learn to know each other but you are welcome here, you are part of this family"

He looked curiously around the room, and his eyes landed on a picture affixed to the fridge with a magnet. He'd never really seen one up close, but he had a pretty good suspicion of what he was seeing as he walked closer to get a better look.

William: "Hey, is that..?"

"It is!" Scully replied, having turned to see what he was so focused on wondering how he knew about the baby.

William asked: "How old is SHE?"

"Fifteen weeks." Scully stated.

'Wow," William replied as he traced the black and white image, seeing the head pretty clearly.

"She?" demanded Mulder

"The baby is a girl. Don't you know?" said William casually.

"No, we hadn't found out yet" Scully said smoothing her hand over her belly.

"Sorry.. I didn't want to.. ruin the surprise." apologized William

"No, no. Don't worry. It's ok" reassured Mulder. He looked at Scully and smiled at her "We are gonna have a girl"

William was struck by the comfort and love that emanated between his real parents and didn't realize what he just asked her mother. "Can I feel it?"

Scully was misty-eyed. She took William's hand, her eyebrows raised at him to make sure it was okay and placed it on the hard mound of her belly.

He grinned and the asked: "Do you think she is like me?"

"What do you mean?" Scully asked him.

"Different" said William retracting the hand and looking down.

Mulder approached him and squeezed his shoulder "Can be. She is your sister!"

William looked back at them and smiled in response feeling part of a family again. "So, it's okay that I'm here?"

Mulder looked to Scully, catching the way her lip quivers. "Yes. Of course," he said, clearing his throat then Scully shook her head in the direction of the stairs, feeling cautiously hopeful. "Come with me, I'll show the spare room."

For the first time after 17 years they were all three sleeping again under the same roof.

 ** _That night Mulder, Scully and William dreamt a beach on a bright sunny day. They were all dressed in white. Scully was sitting on the shore; her feet on water while she breastfeeded and whispered soft words at the ear of a toddler with auburn hair and blue eyes. Mulder and William were instead building an enormous spacecraft on the sand. They stopped and turned their attention to their girls. As they got closer, Scully stood up. Mulder kissed Scully and took the baby making her flying in the air. William wrapped his arms around Scully. They stood there smiling at that laughing little girl. Everything was perfect and calm. The connection they all shared was something none of them totally understood._**

Late that morning when William came downstairs Mulder and Scully were in the living room packing books, videotapes, newspapers and folders with a printed X.

Mulder: "Good morning"

William respond with a still sleepy voice: "M…Morning"

Scully: "Did you sleep well?"

William: "Best sleep in a long long time"

Scully: "I'm glad"

William: "Thanks.. for the things you took from my old room. I really appreciate it"

Mulder and Scully both nodded.

Mulder: "We had stored all the rest in warehouse. When you'll be ready, I can bring you there"

William nodded but felt silent thinking.

Scully: "If you are hungry you can go to the kitchen and serve yourself"

William disappeared in the kitchen and after some minutes he came back with a bagel on his mouth and a cup of coffee.

Scully: "We are sorry for your losses, I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for you the last couple of months"

William looked away uncomfortable, he started pacing around the room and asked them: ''So what's your story?''

Mulder: ''What do you mean?''

William stopped and looked at them: ''You work together, you live together, are you together?''

Scully: ''We had some problems but now we are back together''

William: ''Are you married?''

Scully: ''No''

Mulder: ''We are not so conventional''

William: ''I see ... But you are having a baby"

Scully touched her abdomen: "Yeah that's true.. I hope that's not a problem.. We lov.."

William did not let her finish: "What is all this stuff?" William asked his parents, gesturing to the piles of books and boxes of files, articles and pictures littering the walls. He walked around, looking curiously.

Mulder: "Our work"

William: "Interesting… I googled you. You are the infamous Agent Mulder and Scully of the FBI and these must be the x-files."

Scully: "We are not FBI anymore. We've chosen a life out of the darkness."

William: "Mmm... Right... Why aren't these files at the bureau?"

Mulder joked: "It's complicated. Safety? Paranoia?"

William smiled a little and touched one of the boxes.

Scully: "Do you wanna see them?"

William: "Can I?"

Mulder: "You have to! It's your birth right and honestly, I would be surprised if you hadn't asked us"

William: "Am I in one of these files? Am I an X-files?" he asked abruptly

Mulder: "Most of the people we know are in these files"

Scully: "And yes, you are there as me and your father"

William: ''Are you really my parents?"

Scully: "Yes. We are."

Mulder: "If you want or if you need to read it, we run a new DNA test against both of us just to prove it."

William said, clearly disappointed: "But I was made in a lab, in a tube…"

Mulder didn't deny it: "That's something that we have only recently discovered too. It is what they say, what they want us to believe "

Scully confessed: "We thought, you know…"

William said a little embarrassed: "Yeah, yeah. I got it"

Mulder's voice raised a little and looked at William directly in the eyes: "No, I don't think so... Let her finish. Please"

Scully: "We really wanted you but I couldn't have children because of what they did to me, so we tried with an IVF, do you know what it is?''

William nodded.

Scully: ''It failed but we hoped and never gave up. And I became pregnant with you and now I'm pregnant again. Nothing in our lives is simple or explainable."

"You are one of our miracles, William" said Mulder to lighten the mood "We don't care how you came to be. You are our first child".

William: "The man who claimed had created me… the one who tried to kill me… kill you (pointing to Mulder), who was?"

"My biological father, your grandfather, the man who kidnapped my sister and hurt your mother more than once." Mulder told with a sad tone looking at Scully.

"Don't worry that smoking fucker is dead now. He won't hurt anyone anymore, I can assure you" William told them

"How do you know?" asked Mulder

William: "I…"

Scully cut off William: "Mulder, there's so much we don't know about him."

"My visions? I share my visions just with you" said William pointing at Scully "why that?"

Scully: "We have alien DNA in our bodies"

William said to Mulder: "But you don't"

Mulder: "I had once, but it was taken from me."

William: "How come?"

Mulder sighed: "I was exposed to an alien artifact. It gave me headaches. Telepathy. Made my brain so active I went into a coma. The smoking man did a surgery and took that alien DNA from me and put it into his brain. I think that's the reason why you couldn't share visions with me. Anyway, after that I became ill, I was slowly dying because my brain couldn't handle the stress. I would have died if I hadn't been abducted."

William: "and then?"

Mulder: "I came back but.."

Scully: "He was dead"

William was incredulous.

Mulder: "I was buried for 3 months before your mother found a cure and saved me"

William: "When did that happen?"

Mulder: "Before you were born, that's why I wasn't there when she found out about you."

Scully took a weighted breath before continuing: "You know.. you had a strange reaction to the artifact as well. It was drawn to you as a baby. You almost seemed to be controlling it with your mind."

"You were always afraid of my powers." William stated looking at a silent Scully.

Instead of freaking out, she nodded. "I was. You're right, William. I was alone and afraid I couldn't protect you. Mulder wasn't there. I didn't know what to do" She grabbed both his hands. "But I need you to understand that we just wanted to keep you safe."

William: "I know. I heard you in the morgue".

"Are you thinking that we should have kept you with us? That it's our fault your parents are dead?" Mulder spoke suddenly, and William wondered for a second if he still was reading minds.

William: "Maybe. I don't know yet… My parents didn't know how to deal with me…"

Mulder: "They protected you, they gave you a good life"

William replied harshly: "You gave them a freak, an alien!"

Mulder said quietly: "We gave them our son"

William looked away but Mulder was not finished: "You could hate me. It would hurt me obviously but I can live with that. I hate my father too... but at the time we had no other choice, we were a danger for you. It was just for your own safety. And by the end it looks like we were right: you are here today, alive, standing in front of us!"

William turned to face them: "Oh please, you believed that shit"

Scully tried to justify herself: "They divided us and tried to kill you twice in 8 months"

Mulder poked unable to see Scully suffering and on the defensive: "Do you think we abandoned you? Do you think it was easy? Not knowing but hoping for the best? Do you really think we put you behind?...Well you are wrong! A father and a mother…" he looked at Scully and nodded at her taking something from his wallet and encouraging her to do the same "could never forget their child"

They both showed William the same photo of him as an infant. William's mouth dropped.

Mulder told him softly: "You were always in our minds."

Scully added: "And hearts! Always William! This is one of the rare pictures we have of you. We never stopped loving you!"

Mulder's statement came quickly and abruptly. It was a truth they had come to term long time ago but he didn't want Scully to be the only one to feel responsible for that decision: "As parents, we made a difficult sacrifice, to keep you safe. Believe me, giving up to you changed our lives forever and it was devastating. One day when you'll have a son you'll understand".

William knew that Mulder was sincere. The love he felt from them was nearly overwhelming. He remembered Mulder's words when they first met: - I've been looking for you forever, I held you when you were a baby – but at the moment he was experiencing so many conflicting feelings.

Scully touched Mulder's arm to calm him: ''Mulder, don't press''

William reassured Scully and looked Mulder strongly: ''No, I'm fine''

Mulder on the other hand was curious and searched for answers: "These extreme powers of yours? Is this a more recent development?"

William: "Yeah… but I never killed anyone before. I didn't mean…."

"William. It's not your fault." Scully reached across and put her hand on my arm. "Maybe it was because you were scared. Your emotions amplified the effect or…"

William relaxed: "I was angry…. but …now here with you… I… I'm just fine"

Scully and Mulder smiled at him hoping that time would heal their wounds and bring them closer again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Weeks in fact passed and they were getting used to being a family more and more. Scully had decided to return to Our Lady of Sorrows, but not until after she had the baby. Mulder was still figuring things out, but he decided that perhaps he could write that book she'd told him to write. William passed his days exploring, reading and playing baseball with Mulder. For Mulder it was a dream came true. And Skinner was recovering in DC.

It was a Monday morning, Scully had go to the hospital because she was brushing up on recertification courses. "I'll be back in a couple of hours" she told them.

Mulder stopped her grabbing her right arm: "Do you want a ride?"

Scully responded him with an annoyed tone: "Mulder please. I'm pregnant, not an invalid"

Mulder looked down: "Ooook"

She kissed him goodbye on his cheek and waved William: "Be good guys"

William was sitting on the sofa watching tv in the middle of a tide of boxes.

Mulder: "Is it interesting?" asked curiously looking casually at the video

William: "Not so much" said bored but after some moments he turned his attention to his father:

"Hey Mulder, why don't you give up. After all this time you still don't get it?

Mulder: ''What are you talking about?''

William: ''She is the one in charge here!"

Mulder responded with a groan: "What? No, she is not"

William laughed: "Oh yes, she is. You just have to accept it"

Mulder wanted to say something, defend his honor but they both knew it was true, so he changed subject: "Get up and help your old man, son!"

William looked at him raising an eyebrow. "You are not old… what do you need?"

Mulder: "I need to move all this stuff out of the house into the barn or your mother will..." but he never finished the phrase thinking to what William just told him...

William smirked: "See... ?! But...This is your work, your life!"

Mulder: "Things are changing William. This stuff belongs to my old life. Now my family is my priority. You, your mother and your little sister are what matters to me.''

William nodded.

Mulder: ''Moreover I have a project in my mind. And to be honest it involves you too"

William asked now curious: "What is it?"

Mulder: "After I finished the nursery, I want to renovate the barn. I'll build an office for me and if you like we can make a place there for you too".

William: "In the barn?"

Mulder: "Mmm. In a couple of months, you are gonna hate us. A baby crying all night? Is that what you really want?"

William: "Aww.. I …. I hadn't thought about it" came his reply.

"Besides.. if you want to bring a girl home, you'll need some privacy… not me, your mother or an infant walking around" Mulder smirked and William blushed.

William: "I don't know if I'm gonna stay here forever"

Mulder: "It's up to you William. You can choose to stay or leave. It's your life but you have to know that you can come back here whenever you want. This is your home and there will always be a room for you. Ok?"

William: "Ok.. Thank you!"

Mulder: "Let's go to work"

They were in the barn working.

Suddenly William stated out of nowhere: ": "Mulder… are you and Dana still having sex?!"

Mulder: "And this where does it come from?"

William: "The walls are thin…I hear you last night" looking down to avoid Mulder's eyes.

Mulder: "Aww… It must have been embarrassing for you"

William: "It just…. It never happened with my adoptive parents"

Mulder: "I'm sorry we will be…"

William cut him off: "No, no I just thought that at your age and with Dana pregnant you didn't…"

Mulder: "Hey, we still enjoy sex. We made your sister in the old fashion and despite everything and making some counts I still believe you came into this world that way"

William's face turned all red from the embarrassment: "Ok, ok. Never mind"

Mulder laughed: sex talk of sorts with his son was still a taboo. "By the way… Can I give you an advice? It's something I wanted to tell you from the moment we first met" Mulder asked and William became serious.

Mulder: "Don't worry I am not scolding you. Not as a father; it's to early. I don't want to put in jeopardy that little trust we are building. I want to talk to you from man to man, as an experienced man like I am…" Mulder smiled at him dissolving the tension. William nodded and Mulder went on: "Never have two girlfriends at the same time". William's mouth fell open at the words. "I've made the same mistake once."

William: "Did you?"

Mulder: "Mmm. Not a good idea. Believe me!"

William: "I can't believe how many things we have in common. Was she angry?" he didn't need to say Scully's name, he knew that one of the girl was his mother.

Mulder: "Very angry. If she had your powers she would have blew me out!". At that joke they burst out laughing.

After a while they decided it was time to take a pause from stacking boxes.

Mulder: "I think we should take a pause"

"Ok" William responded looking at him.

Mulder: "Do you wanna go for a walk?"

William: "Sure"

They exited the barn and started walking through their property. they were silent for a while but then William started talking: "When I was a child, we lived for some time in Wyoming. We had a big farm but my mom and dad were tired of that type of living. They wanted a different life for me. So, they sold everything and we moved in Norfolk where my mom had a cousin. They never asked me but I loved that place in the middle of nowhere. I have beautiful memories. In Norfolk I never felt home but here… I missed the nature, the silence. I love staying here instead. It reminds me of that house and that happy time."

Mulder smiled a little touched by his son's confession. Things were moving in the right direction, they were becoming more intimate every day more but he wasn't ready for his next question. William was so unpredictable.

William: "I like spending time with you. You are not afraid of me"

Mulder: "Why should I?"

William: "Well… You were there… You saw what I can do"

Mulder: "You saved my life. That's' what I saw"

William: "I didn't want you to die, not because of me. You and Dana deserved to be happy, the little one deserved a father and ..."

The boy turned away and started pacing back and forth unable to look back to his father: "Even if I didn't know you, I felt I could trust you... I ... I felt... I needed you."

Mulder told him with a soft voice: "I'm happy you did, I'll always be there for you."

William nodded and embraced his father tightly for the first true time. When they parted, they smiled at each other.

William: "Ah.. there is something else... Before He shot me He said that he had shot his second born son before"

Mulder: "Jeffrey…my half-brother"

William: "Where is he now?"

Mulder: "We are not so much in touch. It's complicated.. We don't want to share that bond..."

William fell silent, his mind wandering through the events of the past weeks: " Do you think I am a bad person?"

Mulder barked: "No, you are not!"

William replied: "I killed people like him!"

Mulder raised his voice: "Ehi kiddo you have nothing in common with that man, your powers are immense and if you want you can make some good with them"

William stopped and looked up at Mulder: "I don't think so.. I'm not a super hero"

Mulder: "You just have to learn how to use them"

William: "It's not that easy!"

Mulder: "No, of course not, but we can try. I can teach you"

William: "Teach me? Like in Starwars.. Obi-wan and Anakin?"

Mulder: "I'd prefer Luke and Yoda"

William joked: "You are really old, you know?" and Mulder chuckled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

4 months after the incident of Norfolk, Skinner was back on his feet but with the help of a cane. He didn't care, he was happy to be alive. Following Mulder and Scully's footsteps he left the FBI too. Kersh didn't want to accept his resignation but Skinner was firm in his decision. He heard his former agents by phone quite often but he hadn't seen them in a while. He needed a break from the physiotherapy and wanted to speak with Mulder about a new project he had in mind. He drove to Farrs Corner and was pleasantly surprised by how the house had changed from the last time he had been there. The outside was freshly painted and restructured and, in the yard, there were flowers. He knew his two friends were back together, he had sensed in Kentucky by the way they looked and cared for each other. And now their house reflected their personalities and witnessed their life as a couple. He stopped the car and slowly walked to the door. He knocked and she went to open it. He couldn't believe his own eyes. A very pregnant Scully welcomed him.

Scully: "Sir, hi! Nice to see you"

Skinner: "You are…?" pointing to her swollen stomach.

Scully finished his sentence: "Pregnant?"

Skinner nodded still speechless. Scully was glowing. He had never seen her like this

Scully: "Oh yes. I'm very pregnant" smiled at him, rubbing her belly and lightening the mood.

Skinner tried to recompose: "Is Mulder the father?"

Scully pulling him inside: "100%. Come inside Walter. You need some explanation"

Skinner followed Scully inside the house and they sat on the sofa. The living room had been cleaned and full of light. Nothing indicated their past lives, no more x-files, book or videotapes left randomly on the floor or stair. No more evidence board on the wall but instead there were some framed photos and cities posters. Skinner listened to Scully as she told him what they had found out after the events of that sad night but leaving out William's resurrection. There was something strange and he wasn't just talking about the hints that a baby was on its way. It seemed like someone else was living there with them. He listened but his eyes wandered the room, until they found it. On the fridge two recent photos were standing next to each other. One was a black and white sonogram of a fetus; the other pictured Mulder, Scully and a teenager who looks like a younger version of his former FBI agent in front of that house.

Skinner: "Where is Mulder?"

Scully: "Outside working"

Skinner: "With whom?"

Scully didn't answer and Skinner kept insisting: "Is he here?"

This time she nodded and Skinner protested: "Mulder said he was dead…"

Scully firmly stated: "We needed to protect him"

Skinner shook his head unable to completely accept the lack of trust their friends had in him. Scully stood up and extended her hand to him: "Let's go. It's time you meet William"

As they approached the barn, Scully finally revealed to Skinner every detail of William's storyline. In the following weeks Skinner went to visit them several times, he enjoyed the country life and spending time with that strange family Mulder and Scully had formed. He was even thrilled about the arrival of their new baby girl. Mulder and William cleaned out the small bedroom down the hall and begun decorating the nursery. William had embraced his new role of big brother very seriously and convinced Mulder to take as inspiration the room he once had at his adoptive parents' house. Scully stood in the doorway, watching the room come together, a hand on her hip sometime rubbing her bump and the other on the doorway. The walls were painted in a midnight blue and there were glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. The plan was to put in planets and some aliens. Mulder and Scully were hit by a form of compulsive shopping and every night they ordered from a different online catalogue. Clothes and stuffed animals in fact kept arriving at the house until William had to tell them that at this rate there wouldn't be any room for the baby. On the weekend while Mulder and Scully walked among the shelves of the nearest Ikea picking out furniture for the baby's room, William went out of town with Mulder's car. Mulder suspected he had a new girlfriend but didn't ask him. On the other hand, William believed everyday more that Dana and Fox were crazy but also funny and super cute. His little sister would have two amazing parents and all the love of the world.

Mulder and Scully were in bed one night; she was sitting up against the pillows, and his hands were all over her, light caresses moving from her breasts down to the swell of her belly. She laughed then and stroked his hair. He moved his hands back to her belly, then bended his head and kissed it. Once, twice.

He looked up at her. "I'm happy I get to see you like this this time"

"Me too," she said, and she held him close. "So… are you thinking about Skinner's offer?"

Mulder: "Why would I? Working back on some sort of the x-files? I don't want any more darkness into our lives. We are just fine, Scully. Besides, when you'll be back working at the hospital this little girl will need her daddy to look after her.''

Scully smiled and ruffled his hair. His cheek was pressed against her belly. The baby kicked. Once, twice.

"She's gonna be a soccer player," he said.

"Or a boxer," Scully mumbled. "That's her fist, not her foot."

Mulder: "Really?"

Scully: "Mmm."

Mulder: "How can you tell?"

Scully moved Mulder's hand over to the other side where he could feel the faintest outline of a foot pressing back. He traced over it with his fingertip in the dark.

"Hi, baby," Mulder said, kissing the spot. He whispered, and she felt the flutter of movement again. "How you doing in there?" The baby kicked again in answer.

Scully grinned a little, rubbed her hand over her stomach.

"I love you" Mulder said.

"Which one of us are you talking to?" she asked, amused.

He looked up at her, his eyes dark. "Both of you," he replied. "I love you both so much."

She seized a handful of his t-shirt and pulled him up until they were nose to nose and kissed him sweetly.

Mulder: "This girl needs a name"

Scully: "I know…. Any idea at all, Mulder?"

Mulder: "Mmm. Just one."

Scully asked looking at him in the eyes: "Do you wanna call her Samantha? You can tell me"

Mulder shook his head: "No, I don't want her to live in someone else's shadow, to feel like a replacement. We already have enough ghosts in our families. I want her to have her own name."

"We'll find her the most beautiful name" Scully whispered into Mulder's lips before kissing him again.

"What do you think about Rach..?" He mumbled between kisses.

"After the motel where we…?" she couldn't finish the sentence because Mulder deepened the kiss and she was taken by the passion of their bodies entangled in just one.

The daylights flooded the room, Scully got out of bed and picked out some clothes. She turned to her side and looked in the mirror at her obvious growing belly. Mulder got out of bed and stood next to Scully. He went up from behind her and put his arms around her, on her belly.

Mulder: "Baby's really growing".

Scully: "Yes, she is".

Mulder: "You look perfect, the most beautiful woman in the world".

She smiled "Last night was wonderful"

Mulder blushed: "thank you".

Then they kissed.

Mulder: "Is it everything you wanted?"

Scully: "It's almost too much"

Their past had been nothing but perfect. So many ups and downs, but mostly downs. The fact that they were expecting a child at 50, and their son they hadn't seen in forever was back and living with them, seemed too good to be true. Scully walked through the kitchen. The breakfast was served but William was nowhere in sight. A message under a pink rose was left on her spot. Scully knew it wasn't good news even before she started reading it: _\- I have to go away for a while but I will come back. I promise. Don't be worry. Be careful. I love all the three of you! W. –_

Mulder entered the room and saw a crying Scully and worried immediately: "What happens?"

Scully showed him the message: "He left"

Mulder pulled Scully into his arms and held her close while she continued sobbing against his chest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On the early hours of October 13, a placental abruption at 36 weeks leaded Scully to massive blood loss and an emergency section to get the baby out in a frantic attempt to save both their lives. A cry from the bathroom woke Mulder immediately. He found Scully bent forward, holding her belly, a spot of blood sliding down her left leg. He didn't think, he carried her on his arms into the Mustang and speeded to the hospital. She never stopped begging him to call her obgyn and Jesus to protect their baby girl. When they arrived Dr. Lewis and her staff were waiting for them at the entrance. He didn't remember what happened next. His heart pounded in his ears and all he heard was emergency, life and death, need to get the baby right now. He teared his eyes away trying not to listen to the extreme possibilities the doctors were listing him.

"Mr. Mulder, we have to hurry?" He scribbled down his signature on the form the nurse handed him never taking his eyes off Scully as she was wheeled away.

"I need to be with her. I want to be there." Mulder barked.

"A nurse will give you scrubs. We don't have much time." A doctor told him understanding his position.

While they prepared Scully for surgery, Mulder changed into a pair of scrubs. He entered the OR with a mask on and was led to a seat by Scully's head. He was grateful at least that a surgical drape blocked their view form the actual operation. He held Scully's hand. He put his mouth next to her ear and mumbled nonsense into that. It could be an hour or 5 minutes, he didn't know how much time had passed when he heard the crying.

"Congratulations. You have a daughter." the doctor announced raising up a wailing infant.

Rachel Katherine Mulder was a perfectly healthy baby, had a loud voice and a strong will like her mother, but she shared the birthday with her father. At 55 for Mulder it was the best gift he could ever receive. Tears streamed down Scully and Mulder's faces. A nurse placed the baby on Scully's chest and Mulder touched its head cautiously and pressed a kiss on it even with the mask on. "Hi baby. We've been waiting a long time for you", Mulder looked down at the perfect and beautiful face of his daughter. "I love you." Scully kept on chanting to the infant accompanied with small kisses as its wails slowly died down and turned into hiccups and cooing. The baby looked up to her with bright blue eyes and Scully stroked the small tuft of auburn hair. Mulder looked at her, smiled and pulled down the mask and pressed a kiss on her lips and on the baby's head again. As the doctors finished Scully up, the nurse took the baby from them to do more tests. "I'll be right back" Mulder promised to Scully before following them into the nursery. While there Mulder held his baby girl for the first time proudly, and with the nurse's help he washed and dressed her never stopping to tell her how much she was loved and wanted.

A little later the nurse informed Mulder that Scully was back in her room.

"Let's take you to your mommy, huh?" Mulder whispered to his daughter wheeling her into Scully's room. She looked exhausted and yet she was so radiant that Mulder gasped and forgot to breathe.

"Hey sweetheart, welcome back" greeted Scully their new family member as she attempted to sit up.

"Take it easy, Scully. Look she's right here and doing just fine. See."

He picked up their daughter and he angled her toward her mom, "She's okay?" Scully sucked in a breath, hopeful. Mulder's fingers dig into her arm.

"She's just perfect," placing her into Scully's arms. Scully finally could inhale her sweet scent.

Mulder watched them and was completely, utterly in love. "She looks just like you, Scully", Mulder gushed, Scully reached out her hand to Mulder, who sat down next to her. He kissed the inside of her wrist, before cupping it in both of his. They both stayed still and listened to the baby's soft breathing in silence.

"Mulder," she murmured, "Mulder, look at her." She shifted position, and the baby sighed in her sleep.

He leaned over the bed. Mulder looked at his two redheads, and his heart swelled again. "We made this perfect little thing, Scully, can you believe it?"

Scully chuckled through happy tears. It felt so good to laugh, to release the tension and fears of the last 9 months. She smoothed her thumb over the soft, velvety skin, leaned over and presses a kiss to a fuzzy little ear. "Happy Birthday Fox", Scully wished Mulder with a soft kiss on the lips.

Mulder chuckled "Thank you, … for these last 25 years… for your love … and… for giving me... the chance to be a father again. It's the most beautiful gift I could ever dream for", Mulder said honestly. He pressed his lips to her temple. "I love you both so much," he whispered against her skin.

She began to rock softly, slowly, back and forth, a gentle strain of a melody rising from her throat.

Scully and the baby had been ordered to stay in hospital for a few days for observation, but finally the day had arrived for Mulder to take his girls home. The words "his girls" still filled his heart with a joy he couldn't believe possible and brought a goofy smile to his face. Scully smiled, watching as Mulder carefully transferred their sleeping daughter into the baby carrier without waking her. Mulder moved to pick up the carrier but was stopped in his tracks as Scully suddenly stepped in towards him and wrapped her arms around his torso, pressing her head into his chest.

Scully: "I love you"

Mulder: "You okay?"

He felt her nod against him. "Yeah." She sniffed, squeezing him tightly, looking down at their daughter. "I just want you to know, that I'm sore and exhausted and over-emotional, but right now I'm so happy"

Relaxing, Mulder rubbed her back, kissing her crown: "I know. Let's go home!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was almost Christmas. Mulder was asleep on the couch and so was Rachel, lying on her back in the little bassinet. She was the quietest baby Scully had ever seen, the calmest, and Scully was grateful for that. She smiled, touching the baby's stomach. The noise of a key at the front door made her quivered but when she turned, she gasped at the sight of the man standing in front of her. William was back home.

Scully smiled at him. "Hi, William"

"Mom…. Are... are you okay?" There it was. He called her mom. This was the first time she had ever heard him call her mom but William didn't even realize it. It just felt natural for him. Her eyes got teary and her knees almost gave way that she had to sit near the bassinet.

William: "I saw you in my head but I couldn't come back." His eyes were dark and soft in a way that remined her of his father and focused on her.

"I'm okay." Scully told him softly.

In that moment Mulder woke up, he stirred and his gaze moved from Scully to William. "Hey! Welcome back" he greeted him

William smiled him back, he then moved to the crib and leaned over it to watch the baby for the first time. "She's here, huh?" The baby blinked up at him with huge eyes, curling and uncurling her little fists. "Do you want to hold her?" Scully asked carefully.

William looked a little terrified "I don't want to hurt her," he said.

"You're not going to," Mulder insisted, hopping up from his position at Scully's side. "Babies aren't scary or so fragile as they seem," Mulder replied, raising his eyebrows in a silent question to Scully before carefully lifting his daughter from the crib. Mulder stared lovingly down at his little girl's face before focusing back on William, and he felt grateful for it. "Do you want to try? You don't have to, but you can if you want." William nodded cautiously. Mulder set her down in the circle of William's arms. He was stiff and frozen, staring down at the baby like she was going to break.

"I'm not very good with kids," he said as Scully showed him how to cradle the head.

"Just make sure you support her head," Scully said.

"Hey, baby" William said, laughing nervously as he softly cradled her head like Scully had told him. "She's lighter than I expected and so small!"

"Yes, she is" Scully agreed.

The baby yawned, a little smacking sound, her eyes half-closed. "I think she likes you," Scully said in soft voice. Mulder smiled at Scully, who was watching the scene with tears in her eyes. He understood exactly what she was feeling – watching their son, who they never thought they'd see again, meet their daughter; a daughter they never thought they'd have. It was pretty damn surreal. He was afraid to speak, afraid to ruin the moment. His entire world was in this hospital room – he had everything he ever needed right here with him – and he didn't want to move in case he broke the spell.

"What's her name?" he asked

"Rachel" said Mulder smiling at his two children.

"It's cute!" William said looking into her sister's blue eyes. ''No more family name, uh?''

''Nah, something fresh and new'' came Mulder's reply

"Where have you been?" Scully turned her attention to her son.

"I…I… I've joined the marines" William asserted handing the baby back to her.

"You what?" spit out Mulder. Scully was in panic, Mulder had raised his voice. He never thought he would have to, he had tried to be as comprehensible as possible but this was nonsense. Was it? In what better place could William hide except inside the enemy's line?

"I want to do something right with my life and…my powers" William replied

Rachel started whining and Scully had to soothe her. "William please…" she pleaded him.

William saw the panic in his parents' eyes and wanted to reassure them: "What's the problem?... you both know I can't die... Besides, from what I've learned it runs in the family, no?"

Scully and Mulder shared a look and couldn't reply. It was a fact that William was immortal. Even if it was difficult and painful, they had to satisfy his desire and let him live his life.

"I've to feed her.. can we talk later?" Scully trailed off, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.

"Sure, go on" said William touching the baby's head while Scully left the room.

"You don't have to worry. It's the right choice" William stated supporting his decision and staring at his father "Once you told me that I can make a difference. And that's what I'm gonna do"

Mulder looked at his determination with some kind of pride: "If you don't stand for something, you fall for anything. Right?"

William turned to him in surprise and Mulder smirked at him.

Mulder: "Just be careful! You can't tell them who you are.''

William nodded in response: ''I know. I hacked the system and created a new identity. I even have new documents."

Mulder: "Let me see them"

William took off from the wallet his ID and passed it to Mulder.

Mulder nodded and laughed a little.

William: "What?"

Mulder gave him back the ID: "William Jackson from New York?"

William replied shrugging: "It's a good name: William from you, guys. Jackson from my past life and New York for the Yankees''

Mulder was quite relieved and pleasantly impressed, so didn't add a word on that subject.

Mulder grabbing his son's shoulder: ''Tell me… Are you staying for the holidays?''

William nodded: ''Yes, if it is ok for you''

Mulder: ''Of course it is. You should know your sister. And.. I need a hand''

William: "With her?"

Mulder shook his head: "She is quite good, she lets us even sleep enough"

William asked curiously: ''So... For what?''

Mulder giggled: ''I have a ring, well I've had it for years now''

William: ''Are you kidding me? You are gonna propose, really?''

Mulder: ''Ssss. Don't say it out loud. It's a surprise''

William: ''You said you weren't so conventional''

Mulder: ''I want to do things right this time. For you. For Rachel. For you mother. It's time, Will! I want her to be happy and have the family she deserves."

William nudged Mulder: ''Woah. I can't believe it.''

Mulder: "Promise me, you won't tell her or you won't make her see anything?"

William chuckled: "Promise"

Scully returned patting Rachel's back to let her burp. The sight in front of her coughed her breath away. Her two favorite men were chatting standing next to each other, so similar, so handsome, so strong.

"What are you talking?" she asked them

Mulder and William answered at the same time: "Nothing"

"Are you hiding me something?" asked Scully suspiciously while Mulder took Rachel from her and in that moment, William embraced all the three of them in a big hug. "I don't know if I told you but I love you guys" he said winking at Mulder.

With the first day's light Mulder and William went into the wood and cut a beautiful tree. This year for the first time in its history the Mulder's unremarkable house would have a Christmas tree.

It was afternoon, outside it had started snowing. Mulder was cuddling Rachel on the living room, Scully and William were in the attic.

William: "What are we looking for?"

Scully: "Mmmm my old Christmas decorations. Last time I saw them they were somewhere here"

William: "I don't see Mulder having a Christmas tree"

Scully: "In fact we never had one. In the last 17 years we didn't have anything to celebrate but, this year it's different" she smiled at him.

William nodded smiling in return. Scully: "I'm sorry if Rachel woke you up this night."

William: "No, no. Rachel is fun, you don't have to worry…. Mom?"

Scully: "Mmm"

William : "Who is Emily?"

Scully turned immediately to him: "How..?

William showed her a picture: "I found this last night in one of your old family albums. In the back it is written the name Emily. She reminds me a lot of you"

Scully putting a hand to her mouth to hold back a cry: "Oh my G..."

William: "Mom?"

Scully took the picture from William's hand: "She was my first child.. Your big sister."

William's head snapped over to her: "What?"

Scully tried hard not to cry: "She was an experiment made with the ovas they took from me during my abduction. I didn't know about her until I found her during a case. Even that time it was Christmas. I tried to save her, but I couldn't find a cure. She was very ill, she needed special treatments but the consortium preferred to let her die rather than leave her with me. So when they started chasing you I feared for your life."

William: "Now I really understand your reason for my adoption"

Scully gave him back the picture: "When we stopped running and settled here, Mulder wanted to find you but I stopped him. I couldn't risk losing you too."

William told her while putting Emily's photo back into his jacket: "You couldn't have children because of what they did to you…that's why you say we are your miracles…"

Scully: "Yeah…"

William: "But this time you got pregnant naturally…"

Scully: "I can't explain it William. Probably the chip on my neck and my alien DNA had in some way restored my fertility. After your adoption we were careful, we didn't want to risk another pregnancy, not because we didn't want it but because we feared it. How could you have another child when you couldn't protect your first ones?" The tone was sad and she was avoiding his eyes.

William understood immediately that she was remembering something from her past that was still an open wound, then she told him. A revelation she had kept secret for too long.

Scully: "But 10 years ago we had our first holiday in years and... I got pregnant."

William was startled and confused: "What happened to the baby?"

Scully wiped away an errand tear: "There was no time to start thinking about it or tell your father... that I lost it. It broke my heart and it ruined my relationship with Mulder. The truth is that it was not his depression that took me far from him but the fact that I blamed him for the loss of my children and he didn't even know it. I was so selfish and I made us suffer a lot."

William raised his mother chin: "I'm sorry"

Scully nodded: "When we got back together last year I couldn't believe or imagine that I could still conceive. We are in our fifties... and with my problems… you know...It was too much to hope for."

William joked, trying to lighten her mother's mood: "I think sometimes you and Mulder forget how children come to be!"

Scully replied seriously: "No we don't, but these are the children of men. For us it's different"

William asked while a strange feeling started invading him: "What do you mean?"

Scully: "Ahhh as we told you… we have been through a lot of strange things in the last 25 years that I came to believe we are not completely human anymore. It's like we are all part of a big experiment that in the end led to the creation of you and your sister. You are the first one of a new lineage."

William: "You don't seem worried"

Scully caressed William's cheek and with a sense of peace told him: "I'm tired to be worried. I want to be happy and enjoy my family"

William leaned down and kissed her forehead. They stayed this way for quite some time and then they turned to their searching. William's curiosity was insatiable, it reminded Scully how Mulder was when they first met. He changed the subject of the discussion continuously.

William: "Can you tell me some of your x-files stories? Mulder usually does when we work together."

Scully: "Really? What did he tell you?"

William: "Aww.. He told me about the Flukeman, Victor Tooms, a guy named Modell… he told me about some freak people and about the great mutato. This is my favorite one"

Scully: "Did he tell you that I shot him once?"

William's mouth dropped open a little in shock: "Did you?"

Scully: "yes, he was drugged and overagitated. He didn't listen to anyone, so I had to shoot him to stop him"

William: "I can't believe it."

Scully: "but then I stitched him. It's true. Really."

William said with a grin: "And you two are still together. Unbelievable."

Scully laughed: "Oh yes... You know I have great stories too. Mmm... let me think about... aww... Once we were blocked in a ship and we grew older with every passing minute, another time we met a genie who had a strange way to fulfill wishes"

They poked around, William listening and laughing at Scully's stories until he found a large box marked -Christmas Decorations-

"Here it is" William said. They opened it. The decorations were old, a little vintage.

"You know they belonged to my mother, your granny" Scully explained.

William: "I know she loved you and Mulder very much. He told me she died not long ago"

Scully's bottom lip twisted: "… and her last words were for you. She wanted us to find you and see if you were ok. She would be proud of you"

They shared a tender look.

Scully sobbed: "I missed her."

William: "Sometime I missed my parents too. Don't get me wrong I love you both, I'm happy to stay here but they… they raised me and I loved them."

Scully: "I know, I know sweetheart and I.. am grateful to them for what they did"

As William grabbed a paper with a small footprint along with the words "William, Christmas 2001" written in long-decayed silver glitter he was struck by a vision of his past.

 _(It was Christmas 2001, Margaret was holding him as Scully folded the paper on the table. Margareth: "Why are you doing this? Won't it hurt him?" Scully said kissing William's head: "Mum, it's safe. Don't worry. I'm doing it for Mulder, because he won't be here with us. It's our Christmas gift for him. This way he will have a memory of this day". She colored William's foot and pressed it on the paper while the baby giggled happy.)_

In the present William searched for Scully's hand and she squeezed it while he came back from what he just saw.

Scully asked trying to soothe him: "Will are you ok?"

William smiled at her and nodded: "Yeah, yeah" and he kissed his mother's cheek tenderly: "Thank you"

They were ready to get downstairs when a noise coughed their attention. It seemed like something was beating trying to free itself. The noise came from an old wardrobe in the corner of the attic. William moved some boxes freeing the way to the wardrobe. He went to open it but Scully tried to stop him knowing what was inside: "No, William". In that moment the object came out and flew in the middle of the room. They both stared at the alien artifact speechless. Slowly it approached to William's face.

William gasped: "Is it the thing you told me about?"

Scully nodded: "The artifact. I forgot it was here. It had not shown signs of life since you were a baby"

William took it in his hands: "it's trying to speak to me"

Scully: "Can you understand it?"

William shook his head and put the object back in the wardrobe. He locked its door and stacked some heavy boxes in front of it. "I don't want it to find Rachel" he explained to his mother.

In the evening while Rachel was sound asleep in her crib, Mulder Scully and William spoke about the artifact. Mulder reassured them that everything was under control, that the fact it had moved again, didn't mean anything. Then to relax and to avoid some bad feelings they all decorated their first Christmas tree but that **_night they all dreamt the beach and this time a 3 years old Rachel_** **_was helping building the ship with his father and brother under the watchful eyes of her_** **_mother._**

When Scully woke up in the middle of the night Mulder wasn't in the bed. She got up and walked through the corridor. The door of William's room was a little open. Like his father, the boy found comforting sleeping with the tv on. She turned it off and covered his slim figure with a blanket. She bent down and gave him a goodnight kiss. In his sleep he managed to mumble her something back. She smiled and left the room closing the door. From the nursery came instead a soft light. Mulder was sitting in a rocking chair holding Rachel and singing her sweet words. The girl was looking at her father in amazement and held one of his fingers with both her hands.

Scully said with a tender smile: "Hey"

Mulder looked at her and spoke softly: "Hey yourself. We didn't want to wake you up"

Scully leaned down and caressed the fine hairs of her baby girl: "You didn't… I had a dream. And…"

Mulder confessed her: "Me too. I felt the need to check on the kids. Will is sound asleep"

Scully brushed his face: "I know. He inherited your bad habits"

Mulder got up and handed her a yawning Rachel: "Well, at least he wasn't watching a porn"

Scully laughed: "Mulder, please!" She kissed the baby head before putting her down in the crib.

Mulder and Scully stayed there while the baby came back to sleep. They loved these moments of peace and never ceased to marvel at their little miracle.

Scully whispered: "She seems fine to me"

Mulder: "Of course she is. I gave her a bottle and she is freshly changed."

Scully shook her head and sighed: "No it is not that, it's ... I can't explain it but they seem so normal"

Mulder kissed her temple and said: "Why shouldn't they?... they are ours Dana, we made these beautiful children and considering who we are they are too normal"

Scully chuckled and took Mulder's hand: "Come on, let's go to bed"

Mulder followed her giggling: "It sounds good. We can have a couple of hours of sleep before they wake up"

Scully told him with an allusive tone: "Who said I want to sleep"

Mulder froze for a second and swallowed, she looked at him and she saw his pupils becoming darker.

As soon as they were in the room, he did push her against the door and kissed her deeply leaving them both breathless. Her fingernails scratched into the back of his neck and he moaned into her mouth. He laid her on the bed and under those sheets their bodies found their consolidated rhythm and spoke the familiar language of their love as they became one again.

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In the days ahead, they kept putting gifts under that tree and on Christmas eve in spite of what they could believe or not they went to church thankful for what they had, for being finally all together again. When they returned home, they had dinner and at midnight they opened the gifts. Mulder's real gift for Scully arrived the next day when Scully's brothers&families and Skinner joined them for lunch. They all brought something to eat and drink so Scully had not to worry. William had invited Sarah since they had started seeing each other again. They were ready to beginning that someone knocked at the house's door. When Mulder opened the front door, he found his half-brother in front of him. For the first time in their lives they put aside their stories and recrimination and they hugged each other.

Mulder: "Hi Jeffrey, thank you for coming"

Jeffrey: "Thank you for inviting me"

Mulder replied with a gentle tone: "You are welcome"

Jeffrey: "How's Scully?"

Mulder chuckled: "You'll see"

Jeffrey looked at him curiously and in that moment Scully with Rachel in her arms and William joined them in the hallway.

Scully: "Hi Jeffrey, welcome to our house"

Jeffrey wasn't able to speech, his gaze shifted from Mulder to Scully, to the infant she was holding, to the teenage boy in front of them.

Mulder grabbed William shoulder: "Well, yeah… the family has expanded. She is Rachel and obviously as you can imagine from our strong resemble, he is…."

Jeffrey managed to say: "…William…."

Mulder encouraged his son: "He is your uncle Jeffrey"

William extended his hand to Jeffrey: "Nice to meet you!"

Jeffrey recovered from the shock and shook William's hand: "Nice to meet you too. It's been a longtime"

William laughed: "It's not the first time I hear it said tonight"

Scully: "Come on, you have to meet the rest of the family"

Mulder patted Jeffrey's back and he followed them inside the house: "Nice house and congratulation by the way"

Scully: "Thanks!"

In the living room the guests were waiting for them, Mulder presented Jeffrey to the others. They sat around a big table, they talked, they laughed, they joked and then they played board games. Rachel was quiet and smiled to everyone as she was passed from hand to hand. Mulder was a little jealous but resisted the need to have her all for himself. Bill and Skinner gave William advices for his future life on the marine's corpse. For the first time in 25 years they acted like a normal family.

The day was almost over but not for Mulder.

"Scully" he said, lightly grasping her left hand, dropping his knee to the floor.

Scully was in awe and started pulling Mulder up: "Mulder please… what are you doing?"

Mulder pulled out from his pocket a little blue box: "I know you said that we don't need a piece of paper or a ring to support our relationship. Every choice we made, every step we took led us to this very moment. I don't ever want to wake up one day and not reach for you again. I want to reach out and find you there, right where you have always belonged. I love you. I want to be joined with you in every way. So, I ask you this now, from the bottom of my heart to yours."

He opened the box and everyone could see a beautiful gold band with a small diamond set in it. Scully gasped and Mulder took a deep breath to gather the courage for his final proposal: "Dana Kathrine Scully will you marry me?"

Scully never took her eyes from the ring, she was feeling anxious, nervous, and excited all at once. She was speechless and she was sobbing from the emotion.

Mulder was still on his knee in front of her: "So Scully, I'm not so young anymore and my knee is starting to hurt… what do you think… do you want to make me an honest man?"

Their audience laughed and Scully recovering from the shook exclaimed: "Oh, Mulder! Yes, the answer is yes".

Their friends and family applauded them while William rocked proudly his little sister. Mulder was finally able to breath out. He slid the ring on her finger and got up. They were finally face to face.

Scully stared at the ring: "It's beautiful"

Mulder: "It belonged to my mother. She would have wanted me to offer it to you."

Scully: "I didn't know that you had kept something of your mother after all this time."

Mulder: "I just keep this. I had it in my drawer for several years, I really thought that I would never have the opportunity to give it to you."

Scully: "And I thought you would never ask me the question."

Mulder: "I was so nervous…''

Scully: ''Did you really have doubts on my answer?''

Mulder smiled a little: ''Never mind"

Scully took his face in her hands and stared at him: "I love you so much, my love. I am not going anywhere, anymore"

Mulder leaned forward and kissed his bride to be: "Aww... if you have nothing against it I have reserved the chapel for this Sunday"

Scully's mouth dropped and she slapped him lightly on the chest: "Mulder… you are always the same"

He smiled and kissed her again. Scully wrapped her arms around his neck and let the tension flow away. She felt tears of joy in her eyes, she was so happy, she couldn't describe it. As much as she said she did not want to get married, that it was not necessary, deep down she knew she did. And Mulder knew she did and he wanted the same.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The day of the wedding had finally arrived. The first of the year would be a new beginning in the lives of Mulder and Scully. It was a private ceremony with only their few friends and family members in the town chapel. Due to the fact that Mulder was not catholic, they opted for a civil rite. Rachel wore a fancy white dress, she looked like a doll in the arms of William who was the rite. Rachel wore a fancy white dress, she looked like a doll in the arms of William who was the groomsman. She was all giggling sensing the emotion of the day. Mulder and Scully had opted for an elegant but casual look. In that little church they exchanged the rings and vows holding their hands and staring into each other's eyes.

 ** _Mulder's promise_** _: - Once I told you: you were my constant, my touchstone, my one in five billion. Dana, you are my partner, my friend. You are the love of my life, the mother of my children. You are my one and only. Almost a year ago we were living separate lives but I promised you to always be around, to push your wheelchair with mine once old. Look at us now?! We are back together, we have Rachel, William is here with us. We never gave up and someone (he looked at the crucifix in front of them) has finally listened to our prayers. I am here for you, for our family today and forever. I love you and I'll always will. -_

 ** _Scully's promise_** _: - Not so long ago, I asked you to take my leap of faith together with me and you did without hesitation. I love you because you always supported me. I love you because you never gave up on me, you never gave up on us. I love you because you taught me to play baseball (the people around them laughed). I love because you gave me courage to believe and see the world through your own eyes. I love you because you gave me two beautiful children (and they both looked to William and Rachel seated on the first bench). I love you because you complete me… as you said, reason and faith in harmony, that's why we are so good together. You are my home, my everything. I'm yours, Fox in every way that matters. -_

The priest blessed the couple. Mulder kissed Scully and the crowd applauded them and gave them hugs. Then they all came back home where they celebrated and ate and drank and laughed for all day till late night.

At the unremarkable house Scully had retired in the kitchen to feed Rachel. Mulder entered the room and his breath was caught away by the scene in front of him: Scully in her wedding gown breastfeeding his beautiful daughter.

Mulder joked: "Hey Mrs Mulder, I was searching for you. I thought you had just run away"

Scully replied at his joke smiling: "Naa, I think I could love be Mrs Spooky for the rest of my life."

Mulder laughed, and Scully looked down to Rachel sucking happily from her nipple: "I'm sorry, she was hungry"

Mulder leaned down and pecked her lips and his baby head: "I see… Don't worry, I took good care of our guests!"

Scully mocked him 'I have no doubt. You have become good with interpersonal relationships".

Mulder: "First day as man and wife and you are just making fun of me!"

Scully laughed.

Rachel had just finished her meal and was on her father shoulder in the effort to burp while Scully was settling her dress when William made his appearance in the room.

William: "You are here!"

Mulder: "Hey Kiddo how things are going there?"

William: "Everything under control, they are all eating and drinking"

Scully: "We should go or they'll start thinking that we are hiding"

Mulder: "Wait" he said handing Rachel back to her "I wanna do something first"

Mulder leaned in the other room and called Skinner: "Walter, please come here"

Mulder winked at his wife and son: "Let's have a beautiful family picture of this amazing day"

William approached his mother and kissed his sister's forehead while Mulder waited for Skinner.

Mulder: "Could you take us a shot?"

Skinner: "Of course"

Mulder handed him his phone and then joined his family. Scully holding Rachel in her arms was standing in the middle embraced by her two men.

Skinner: "Ok guys! Ready? 3 – 2 – 1 Smile!" He took some pictures and then he handed back the phone to Mulder.

Skinner: "I hope they came well"

Mulder browsed the gallery: "Let me see" he said while a smile was spreading across in his face: "You did a really good job. Thanks. They are perfect!" He patted Skinner's arm and stepped away.

"Scully, Will look!" Mulder said proudly showing them his cellphone.

Skinner couldn't be happier for his two-beloved former Fbi agents, it took them 25 years but they were finally happy and above all the were finally a family.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was mid-January. The week before they had celebrated William first birthday as a Mulder-Scully with a big cake, but now it was time for the boy to leave for his training course at Annapolis. He went downstairs with his backpack. He smiled seeing that in the living room their family photo was printed and hanged instead of the I WANT TO BELIEVE poster. He entered the kitchen where Scully was preparing his breakfast while Rachel burbled in her swing.

William caressed her back: "Don't worry mum, I'll be fine"

"I know" she responded wiping away a tear.

William picked up the baby in his arm and rocked her: ''Don't grew up too much little lady'' then he passed her to Scully.

William kissed his mother and sister' cheeks: "I love you"

Scully whispered to him pressing her forehead against his: ''We'll wait for you''

William smiled at her: "You won't get rid of me" and then sat at the table.

Mulder was waiting for him outside the house. He hadn't slept, he knew that maybe he hadn't the right; after all he hadn't been a parent for him for most of his life, but he needed to have a serious father and son's conversation before his departure.

Mulder: "Ready?"

William: "I think so"

Mulder: "Please William, be careful! Don't use your powers unless you have to, and if you do, don't hesitate. Ok?''

William nodded.

Mulder: ''and never tell them your real name. Never William!''

William: "I know, I know…" then looked away for a little: "Dad? Can I ask you something?''

Mulder: ''Sure''

William: ''Have you ever kill someone who didn't deserve?"

Mulder thought what to answer: "I did. You have to understand that often you only have some seconds to decide, it's a question of life or death. It's you or the one in front of you. So… yes. I made mistakes, I'm not proud of them but if someone tries to hurt my family or me, I'll do it all over again"

William: "But as a soldier it will be different…"

Mulder: "Listen, in the marines you'll have to follow orders. People are gonna tell you to fight and kill an enemy you don't know. Well, follow your gut and trust no one William. And if they thread you or if they want to use you, don't let them do it for any reason. You are too special."

William felt silent for a moment and Mulder sensed there was something else his son had to say and in fact William had another confession to reveal.

William: "That day... when I emerged from the water after the shooting, I had a powerful feeling, I knew who I was or wasn't and what I had to do!"

Mulder asked him taken aback: "What do you mean?"

William stared at Mulder: "Before, I was troubled, I was struggling to find my place... to deal with my abil..." he stopped and looked at his hands. "I've never fit in Jackson Van De Kamp's shoes... I couldn't understand why but he was like some sort of fake identity...someone I had to play, so I started looking for answers. Hearing Dana's words in that morgue changed everything. Even if I didn't remember being William Scully, I finally knew some of my origins. But it was only when you hold me that I sort of found out who I really was."

Mulder looked at him with a questioning look speechless.

William: "William Mulder, that's who I am, that's who I was meant to be from the beginning"

Mulder was caught out of guard: "I... Will..."

William reassured him with a small smile: "It's ok, I'm ok."

Mulder pulled William into his arms and the boy rubbed his back: "I love you son."

William replied by returning the hug and holding his father tight ''I love you too''.


End file.
